Plow harrow



finite Sites Patet 656,722 8/1900 Kraus 172/713 1,395,329 11/1921 Aton et al r 172/198X 1,718,248 6/1929 Mohr 172/713X 2,102,483 12/1937 Powell 172/198X 2,142,264 1/1939 Bogart 1. l72/634X 2,994,388 8/1961 Ryan 172/198X Primary Examiner- Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner- Walter .1. Conlon A tl0rney' Wheeler, Wheeler and Wheeler ABSTRACT: The invention relates to plow harrows wherein supporting rods on beams adjustably and yieldingly support a spike assembly and wherein adjusting rods or links can be readily disconnected to allow pivotal movement of the spike assembly to an inoperative position, also provided is a spring biased lock for adjustment and spikes readily formed by a simple turning operation from noncircular :stock which spikes can be readily and securely assembled.

rLow nannow This application is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 529,824, filed Feb. 24, I966, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,751.

The invention relates generally to harrows, as for example, plow harrows.

More particularly, the invention relates to plow harrows which are supported from plows and which include two or more supporting rods or beams carrying a spike assembly adjustably and yieldably positioned by one or more adjusting rods or links.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a plow harrow with means which, in addition to yieldingly and adjustably supporting the spike assembly, also serves to readily afford connection and disconnection of the adjusting rods or links to the supporting rods, whereby pivotal movement of the spike assembly in an inoperative position facilitating transport from one place to another is obtained. Such means also facilitates plowing closely alongside of a fence or other obstacle.

Another of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a spring biased lock for releasably, adjustably, and yielding connecting a spike assembly adjusting link to a spike assembly supporting rod.

Another of the principal objects of the invention is a spike assembly including spikes which can be fabricated from stock of noncircular cross section by simple turning operations, together with the fabrication of mounting tubes which are punched or otherwise provided with apertures affording nonrotatable receipt of the noncircular stock and with apertures which are located in opposed relation to the openings and which receive a portion of the spike which is of reduced dimension, coupled with means which is located on the reduced dimension portion of the spike and which captures the margin of the tube surrounding the aperture, thereby preventing axial displacement of the spike relative to the tube. In the preferred construction, the portion of reduced dimension constitutes a threaded cylindrical part and the means which captures the tube margin constitutes a nut.

Another of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a spike assembly which is strong and sturdy and which can be readily disassembled.

In general, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved plow harrow which can be economically manufactured and assembled and which includes one or more of the above described features.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become known by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a plow harrow in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view, partially in section, of a portion of the spike assembly incorporated in the plow harrow;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged and partially broken away, sectioned fragmentary view of another portion of the plow harrow shown in FIG. 1.

Shown in FIG. I is a plow harrow 11 adapted to be connected to a plow pulled by a tractor. In the specifically disclosed construction, the harrow II is shown connected to a fragmentarily illustrated plow I3, including a pair of fore and aft support beams 15 and an obliquely transverse boom 17.

The harrow ll includes a pair of upright supports or masts 19 which are respectively bolted or otherwise fixedly secured to the support beams 15, a pair of support rods 21 respectively connected to the masts I9, a spike assembly 23 pivotally connected to the lower end of the support rods 21, and a pair of adjusting rods or links 25 pivotally connected at their lower ends tothe spike assembly 23, together with means 27 releasably connecting the other end of the adjusting links 25 to the support rods 21 for axial movement of the links relative to the support rods, thereby to permit some pivotal movement of the spike assembly 23 relative to the support rods 21 and for affording detachment of the links 25 from the support rods 21. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a draft chain 29 connected to one of the support rods 21. I

The support rods 21 each include a bent attachment arm 31 which, at its forward end, is bolted or otherwise pivotally connected to a connector 33 having a cylindrical portion received on one of the masts l9 and affording relative rotation and axial sliding movement of the connector relative to the mast. Suitable means in the form of a pin or collar 35 are employed to limit upward movement of the support rods 21 on the masts 19. In the particularly disclosed construction, the weight of the plow harrow is, at least in part, supported by engagement of the support rods 21 on the transverse boom 17.

The support rods 21 also each include, at their lower ends, a telescopically adjustable lower section 37 which is pivotally connected to the spike assembly 23 at 39.

The spike assembly 23 comprises a plurality of stablizer channels 40 and transverse spike mounting tubes or pipes 41. Means 43 (not a part of the invention )1 are provided for angularly adjustably positioning all of the tubes 41 in common relation to the stabilizer channels 40.

Extending from the tubes 41 are a plurality of spikes 45. One of the features of the invention resides in the economical construction of the spikes and in the arrangement for mounting the spikes on the tubes 41. In this regard, the spikes are fabricated from high carbon steel bars having a noncircular cross section. In the disclosed construction, the spikes 45 each include a main body or portion 47 having a square cross section.'At their lower ends, the spikes are machined to provide pointed ends and, at their upper ends, the spikes 45 are machined to provide a portion of reduced cross-sectional dimension as compared to the main body. Thus, in the disclosed construction, the reduced portion comprisesa cylindrical part 49 which extends from a shoulder 51 and which, in the disclosed construction, is at least partially threaded.

At each location where one of the spikes 45 is to be connected to one of the mounting tubes, the tube 41 is punctured or otherwise provided with an opening 53 dimensioned to slidably receive the spike main body or portion 47 so as to snuggly laterally support the spike and prevent rotation of the spike about its length relative to the tube 41. Diametrically opposite from the opening 53, the tube 41 is provided with a circular aperture 55 which snuggly slidably receives the cylindrical portion 49 of the spike, thereby also providing lateral support.

Each spike 45 is removably fixed to the associated tube 41 by means preventing axial movement of the spike 45 relative to the tube 41. In the disclosed construction, such means is in the form of threads on the spike cylindrical portion 49 and in the form of a nut 57 which is screwed onto the cylindrical portion threads and tightened until the part of the tube constituting the margin of the cylindrical aperture 55 is captured between the nut 57 and the shoulder 51. The disclosed construction is therefore extremely sturdy, is economical to manufacture and assemble, and nevertheless affords replacement as may be necessary.

Thejspike assembly 23 is adjustably and yieldably retained in the desired operating position by the adjusting rods or links 25 which are pivotally connected at Sil to the pair of stabilizer channels 40.

Another of the features of the invention resides in the arrangement for releasably locking or connecting the upper ends of the adjusting links 25 to the support rods 21 so as to adjustably and yieldably maintain the spike assembly 23 in.

desired operating position and so as to afford disconnection of the adjusting links 25 from the support rods 21 to enable the spike assembly 23 to be pivoted into an inoperative position in adjacent relation to the adjacent parts of the support rods 2]. Provision for movement to such an inoperative position is important in connection with transport of the plow harrow from one place to another and when plowing adjacent to a fence or other obstacle.

The means 27 for releasably connecting the upper ends of the adjusting links to the support rods 21 are identical for each adjusting link and its associating rod and only one will therefore be described. Such means 27 includes on the support rod 21 a bracket 63 (see FIG. 4.) having an L-shape with 1 slot or notch 71 affording lateral movement of the adjusting link 25 to disconnect or remove the link from the bracket 67, and therefore from the associated support rod 21.

The arrangement for yieldably and adjustably connecting the link 25 to the support rod 21 also includes a pair of ad justably located collars 73 and 75 which are releasably fixed by respective bolts 77 and 79 on the link 25, one to each side of the bracket 63. Also included is a helical coil spring 81 which telescopically surrounds the link 25 between the bracket 63 and the collar 75 located on the side of the bracket 63 adjacent to the spike assembly 23. The spring 81 is seated at its lower end against the collar 75.

Surrounding the upper end of the spring 81 in telescopic relation is a sleeve 83 which has an end portion 85 located between the adjacent end of the spring 81 and the bracket 63. The sleeve end portion includes an aperture which affords sliding movement of the sleeve 83 on the link 25 and which is dimensioned such that the margin of the end portion defining the aperture constitutes a seat for the upper end of the spring 81. The outside dimensions of the sleeve are such as to preclude lateral passage through the slot or notch 71.

In operation of the connecting means 27, whenever the spikes 45 encounter conditions which necessitate limited pivotal movement in the counterclockwise direction, as seen in H0. 1, such movement is afforded, against the action of the springs 81, by sliding of the adjusting links or rods 25 through the springs 81, the sleeves 83, and the brackets 63. When the obstacle is past, the springs 81 acting against the collars 75 will return the spike assembly 23 to its normal operating position determined by engagement of the collars 73 with the webs 65 of the brackets 63.

When it is desired to swing the spike assembly 23 into transport position or otherwise substantially pivot the spike assembly 23 from its normal operating position, the links 25 can be disconnected from the support rods 21 by displacing the sleeves 83 against the action of the springs 81 until the sleeve end portions 85 are clear of the bracket legs 65. The adjusting links 25 are then laterally moved through the slots 71 until complete removal is effected. It is obvious that the adjusting links 25 can be readily reassembled by telescopically displacing the sleeves 83 to positions permitting insertion of the links 25 through the slots 71 to the apertures 69, and then releasing the sleeves 83 for travel under the action of the springs 81 to adjacent to the webs 65, thereby releasably locking the adjusting links 25 to the support rods 21.

lClaim:

l. A harrow including a plurality of spikes each having a main body with noncircular cross section having a larger cross-sectional dimension than any other part of said spike, and at one end, a cylindrical portion of lesser dimension than at least one of the cross-sectional dimensions of said main body whereby a shoulder is defined between said main body and said cylindrical portion, a tube having, for each spike, an opening corresponding in cross section to the cross section of said main body to prevent rotative movement therebetween, and an aperture located diametrically opposite said opening, said aperture receiving said spike cylindrical portion with said shoulder engaged with said tube, and means on said cylindrical portion cooperating with said shoulder and said tube for preventing axial movement of said spike relative to said tube.

2. A harrow in accordance with claim 1 wherein said opening snuggly slidably receives said spike main body, wherein said aperture snuggly slidably receives said spike cylindrical portion, and wherein said means preventing axial movement of said spike relative to said tube includes threads on said spike cylindrical portion and a nut received on said threads to capture a portion of said tube surrounding said aperture between said nut and said shoulder.

3. A harrow including a plurality of spikes each having a rectilinear body with a main portion of a noncircular cross section having a larger cross-sectional dimension than any other part of said spike, and at one end a pointed portion, and at the other end, a cylindrical portion of lesser dimension than at least one of the cross-sectional dimensions of said rnain portion whereby a shoulder is defined between said main portion and said cylindrical portion, a tube having, for each spike, an opening corresponding in cross section to the cross section of said main portion to prevent rotative movement therebetween, and an aperture located diametrically opposite said opening, said aperture receiving said spike cylindrical portion with said shoulder engaged with said tube, and means on said cylindrical portion cooperating with said shoulder and said tube for preventing axial movement of said spike relative to said tube.

4. A harrow in accordance with claim 3 wherein said opening snuggly slidably receives said spike main portion, wherein said aperture snuggly slidably receives said spike cylindrical portion, and wherein said means preventing axial movement of said spike relative to said tube includes threads on said spike cylindrical portion and a nut received on said threads to capture a portion of said tube surrounding said aperture between said nut and said shoulder. 

